Elegy of Dust and Lamplight

Aether
Lumine

Quest Type

Chapter

Archon

Song of the Welkin Moon

Act

II

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A Dance of Snowy Tides and Hoarfrost Groves	A Nation That Doesn't Exist

Requirements

Adventure Rank Required

40

Elegy of Dust and Lamplight is the second act in the Song of the Welkin Moon chapter of the Archon Quests.

Quests

Summary

Fulminations and Undercurrents

While walking around Nasha Town, the Traveler and Paimon overhear a few residents of Nasha Town talking about the recent Wild Hunt incursion. Noticing the Traveler eavesdropping on their conversation, they take it to another place. The Traveler and Paimon then run into Aino, Ineffa, and a Ratnik called Sousi. Because of the Wild Hunt, the Lightkeepers are asking Aino to finally begin repair work on the Boom and Blast Kuuvahki Cannon, which she agrees to as long as she gets her sweets. Since she has other matters to attend to, Aino tosses a huge book to Paimon, which is actually a manual on how to fix the cannon, along with a Birgitta variant known as Beep-Boopitta. The three manage to get information on the cannon, and Sousi briefly leaves to get the replacement part. They then gather at the control room, where Aino is making the final preparations for the cannon. Paimon then suggests to head back to the Flagship to see if anyone knows about the phantom.

When they return to the tavern, they find a large amount of people gathered outside and try to investigate, but Valta tells them that a Banquet is going on. In order to enter, the proper "channel" was required, so the two head to the Curatorium, where Nefer greets them. The Traveler offers to bring the medicine to Lauma and indirectly ask for her invitation to the Banquet, though Nefer easily sees their intentions but agrees nonetheless. Jahoda then comes in with the medicine, but Paimon quickly realizes that she picked up salt instead, causing her to run out to recover the original delivery.

Returning to the tavern, Valta allows them in when the Traveler returns with the proper "channel." Inside, Nefer gains the entire audience's attention by claiming that the Traveler is a mixologist from Mondstadt, so they prepare various drinks, including the Roulette Special. Nefer ensures that the Traveler avoids alcoholic drinks as much as possible, until they roll the signature "Dark Horse" drink in the final round. The Traveler uses this to ask Dobrawa about her encounter with the Wild Hunt, though she does not remember seeing a phantom as she knew she needed to escape before she was consumed. After the special, Nefer talks to an informant named Korhonen, who gives her information about Wild Hunt appearances. Notably, various spots have been cleared before the Lightkeepers came, saying that the gulf was far too abnormal for adventurers to be involved. They ask about the phantom, but he has never heard of it before.

Outside, the Traveler and Nefer compile the gathered information, concluding that the phantom was a recent sighting and that the mastermind must be hiding behind it. Just then, Jahoda arrives with the medicine and gives it to the Traveler before Nefer concludes the conversation. Jahoda brings the Traveler to the plaza, where a crowd has assembled to witness a test firing of the cannon.

The Dark Side of Memory

With the medicine in tow, the Traveler and Paimon return to Hiisi Island to give Lauma the rest of the medicine. Lauma tells them that her people are more proactive, having known the true meaning of their faith, though she feels that it will still take some time for everything to settle. She admits that she should've told the truth sooner and the Traveler relays what they learned to her. Lauma then asks them to take out the Moon Marrow and draws from a past memory, where the Traveler spots their spaceship crashing into Nod-Krai as it ends. Lauma tells them it was all she could discern due to the memory's turbulence and disturbance. A Luonnotar then appears and the surrounding flowers change color, causing the Traveler to realize that Columbina wanted to talk to them. Lauma believes that Columbina would be able to help them better in their memory.

The Traveler heads back to Silvermoon Hall, where Columbina appears to be worse for wear. Sensing the Moon Marrow on her, she asks them to extend their hand and she draws some power from it before asking for the purpose of their visit. Paimon then asks if she would like to hold it, but Columbina declines, stating that the Moon Marrow is actually a piece of Aria's remains. She also states that her powers came from the Frost Moon; she could sense the missing parts, but could not reach it. Paimon then asks if she has the Frost Moon's marrow, but Columbina explains that such a marrow only forms when a moon is destroyed and its Moon Goddess dies. Paimon then asks if she wants the Moon Marrow, but she declines again, as she felt a "rejection" from it and that two moons could not rise at the same time, lest one consume the other. Paimon then becomes worried about the Moon Marrow's safety, as if Columbina could sense it with ease, so would the Wild Hunt.

The name appears to ring a bell to Columbina, who recalls hearing about a man who was fixated on the moons when she joined the Fatui. She only knew the person through their title, the "Rächer of Solnari," causing the Traveler and Paimon to realize that their enemy is one of the Five Sinners of Khaenri'ah. Remembering the names that Dainsleif had told them, Paimon believes their enemy is Rerir, though the Traveler wonders why he was so weak. Columbina chimes in, explaining that when she wanted to learn about Rerir's whereabouts, she was told that he had fallen in the moon's reflection, considered a point of no return. The Wild Hunt situation grew worse, though she states that the current iteration is far more deadly than the past. Paimon is worried that they could not defeat him and mentions Sandrone, causing Columbina to laugh at the mention of her name, guessing how she would've felt after the defeat. Paimon then asks the Traveler if they want to carry the marrow with them, while Columbina theorizes that something is holding Rerir back.

The Traveler then asks Columbina for help regarding their memories with their spaceship, and she agrees to their request. The Traveler sees their spaceship having crashed, but soon spots their sibling outside of it, which should've been impossible as they knew that they never went out when they crashed. Columbina then helps conceal the presence of the marrow through a technique she teaches them, before Paimon asks if she was okay staying cooped up in her adobe. Columbina admits that she dislikes strangers, but agrees to go out on a walk with them once the Wild Hunt threat is resolved.

One There Was, Who Hunted the Moon

The Traveler returns to Lauma and informs her of the threat that the people of Nod-Krai are facing. Lauma, acknowledges the threat and decides to keep the mastermind's identity a secret from her people to avoid unnecessary panic. She ultimately decides that her people will fight to the end to protect their traditions. Paimon then suggests a visit to the Krumkake Craftshop to check in on Aino and Ineffa. Aino does not believe that Rerir will be a threat compared to her cannon and is preparing to ship canisters of concentrated kuuvahki to Nasha Town. She also tells them that Sousi was murdered in his office, shocking the Traveler and Paimon.

When they arrive at the scene, Nefer conveniently arrives and the Ratnik on duty, Zvoni, lets them in. Inside, Sieciech greets them and explains what happened. A witness saw Flins kill Sousi, and while the Lightkeepers are skeptical that Flins would commit such an atrocity, given his good record and respect for Sousi, the witness and the wound is irrefutable evidence that he killed him. As they investigate, the Traveler remarks about Flins' lantern, which had an abyssal power and in the worst case, believes that he might be one of Rerir's disguises. Nefer informs the Traveler that Flins was spotted north of Nasha Town and hands them a Lightkeeper lantern to protect them from the Wild Hunt.

The Traveler heads to Flins' last location and manages to rescue him just in time from Rerir. Flins then explains the origin of his lantern, and he kept the abyssal fragment with him to ensure that it could not pose a threat if someone else found it. The Traveler briefs him on Sousi's death and his colleagues suspecting him to be the murderer. Flins is slightly taken aback by the news, knowing that Sousi was a good man who wanted to be with his family, swearing to take Rerir's head in revenge. They then head back slightly outside of the town, where Flins asks them to "pick him up" when they get to the crime scene. They enter the scene and call Flins with the lantern, where they begin investigating once more. They initially fail to find any new clues, but the Traveler soon notices Sousi's mechanical arm flashing, using the error code signaling that maintenance was required. They then realize that Sousi had used this arm when they were fixing the cannon and that the "Sousi" at the time was actually Rerir.

Flins decides that they'll need to pay a visit to Hintsa, who was the town's resident mechanic and responsible for the maintenance of Sousi's arm. Hintsa had heard rumors of the news, though unaware of Flins being the suspect. He explains that a few days prior to his death, Sousi came to him and urgently asked for his arm to be repaired, which Hintsa fully understood as Sousi would need both arms to fight the Wild Hunt. The arm was designed by Aino, with custom parts. When the parts were priority-delivered from Aino's shop, Sousi let the Lightkeepers know he was ready to do the work, but Sousi never turned up. This news confirms that the Sousi they met earlier had actually been Rerir and they theorize that he is only able to mimic the external appearance of people. They decide to take a rest and return to the Flagship. Flins reveals a story about his past; he is a fae who turned his heart towards humanity and experienced loss, wishing to end his own life. But by chance, he met the Lightkeepers, and seeing them fight the Wild Hunt without fear sparked something in him and led him to intervene in one of these fights, resulting in him joining the Lightkeepers. He asks that they not tell this to anyone.

The Ashen-White Order Burns

The following morning, the Traveler wakes up and heads outside to the main hall when they are greeted by an angry mob demanding to see Flins. Nefer, upset by the commotion, tells the mob to search for Flins. They fail to do so, and she harshly scolds them and sends them packing. She then tells the Traveler that her inside contact saw them and Flins enter the crime scene, and then word spread that the Wild Hunt could masquerade as others, causing everyone to accuse the other of being part of the Wild Hunt. Jahoda arrives with Flins' lantern, and Nefer decides that a meeting is required at the Curatorium. There, they compile the gathered information, though the Traveler is unsure as to why Rerir wanted the cannon to be prepared. With the Wild Hunt continuing to grow, they decide to separate and handle each incursion. Flins' lantern disappears, and Paimon tells the Traveler that they'll be going to his home to meet with him.

At Flins' home, the Traveler and Paimon meet with Flins and head down to the Ratniks' library to look for hints about Rerir's motives. Through the help of some spirits, they eventually realize that kuuvahki and abyssal energy are polar opposites, though the winner would absorb the loser's energy. This causes them to realize that Rerir plans to have Aino's cannon fired on him; with his new strength and the concentrated kuuvahki, Rerir's energies would convert the kuuvahki into a more powerful form. An ibis then arrives, which Paimon recognizes as Lauma's doing and tells them that after they left, the cannon began to operate on its own and was pointed at Starsand Shoal. Thus, they decide to head there to stop Rerir.

The three find Rerir's phantom standing in the shoal, explaining that humans did not understand the powers they wielded. He also reveals to be the origin of the Wild Hunt and that he had spent his time collecting fragments of his former corpse to rebuild himself, with his heart being in Flins' lantern. Rerir states that while Aino's cannon would not restore his true form, it was potent enough to restore enough power to crush anyone who stood in his way and he prepares to fight them.

Elsewhere, Aino, Lauma, Nefer and Jahoda realize that the cannon was activated and that the people of Nasha Town were in chaos. A few, believing in Aino's creation, formed barricades around it to stop any Wild Hunt that would attempt to interrupt its charging. Knowing that the rumors are now spreading like wildfire, Lauma states that they cannot use brute force to clear a path. Lauma uses her unique powers to reassure the people that it's really her, while Aino and Ineffa use the distraction to head to the cannon. On the way, they encounter an aggressive Knuckle Duckle, forcing the two to get it out of the way. Ineffa determines that the cannon is about to fire, and Aino suggests activating the "emergency brake". Ineffa states that the prepped kuuvahki ammunition would explode and destroy Nasha Town, but Aino clarifies that she was talking about manually interfering with the cannon barrel itself, which Ineffa understands, prompting her to scale the tower to the cannon.

Despite Ineffa, Flins and the Traveler's efforts, some of the cannon's kuuvahki beam does hit Starsand Shoal and becomes corrupted, the rest being deflected by Flins' powers, the Traveler's Moon Marrow shield, and Ineffa pushing the barrel upwards to shorten the firing time on target. Some of the stray bolts damage the Kuuvahki Experimental Design Bureau, but others that travel straight for Hiisi Island are met with a mysterious dome shield that protects it from harm. Rerir is able to restore his body with the corrupted kuuvahki, but is disappointed when he realizes that it is only a former of his complete self and becomes enraged at Flins and the Traveler's interference. But before he could attack them, Sandrone and Pulonia arrive. Claiming that the robot's new upgrades were a match for his power, Sandrone has Pulonia fight Rerir, but Rerir manages to overcome it and launches numerous hands at the group for a killing blow. Suddenly, a bright light surrounds them as Sandrone realizes what's happening, teleporting them away from Rerir's grasp.

The group finds themselves in Silvermoon Hall, where Flins thanks Columbina for saving them. Sandrone is upset at her intervention, claiming that she had the situation under control. Columbina retorts that her recent calculations were significantly off, prompting Sandrone to remind Columbina of the Fatui warrant still out on her head. Not wanting to fight her former colleague, Sandrone leaves with Pulonia. Columbina then explains that she intervened as the Moon Marrow could not fall into Rerir's hands and that the Traveler had done so much for her. Although worried about Rerir's new strength, Columbina does not sense his presence. Flins then asks her if she blocked the bolts that flew towards Hiisi Island, but she tells him that she didn't. As the rest of the group leaves, Columbina clutches her chest, realizing that her strength wasn't returning and that time was running out.

Rest Beyond Reach

In the aftermath of the operation, the group is still unsure as to Rerir's motives, though they rule out the possibility of revenge. As recovery efforts are underway, the Traveler finds Columbina at the roofs of Nasha Town, having heeded their advice to go out for a walk. Paimon is worried given the Fatui warrant, but Columbina knows that Sandrone is uninterested in fulfilling it and the others are too busy to help out. She answers a few of their questions before expressing a desire to return to the moon, where she would find both her answers and "home."

Elsewhere, Rerir walks across Nod-Krai when he realizes that someone had been following him for some time. Ordering the person to show themselves, the person is revealed to be Varka, who introduces himself to him.

Characters

40 Characters appear in this Act:

Achievements

There are 5 Achievements obtainable from Elegy of Dust and Lamplight:

Achievement	Category	Description	Requirements
Any Discounts for Encounters in a Strange Land?	Wonders of the World	It's nice to run into a familiar face.	Earned during Where the Moon Rises or Rest Beyond Reach	5
Channels Are King	Wonders of the World	Different places have different ways of doing things...	Earned during Fulminations and Undercurrents	5
Every Lantern Casts Its Shadow	Wonders of the World	Light doesn't reveal good or evil — only the truth.	Earned during One There Was, Who Hunted the Moon	5
Sinner's Descent	Wonders of the World	In the end, "he" regained his true, complete form...	Complete The Ashen-White Order Burns	5
Elegy of Dust and Lamplight	Wonders of the World	Complete "Elegy of Dust and Lamplight."	Complete Rest Beyond Reach	10

Soundtracks

No.	Soundtrack Name	Album	Played In
26	Searching for Clues	Fountain of Belleau	When All Return to the Waters, Into the Deepwater Murk, Lost in Deep Seas (cutscene), Top Note: Floral Debt, Middle Note: Blood Due, A Series of Twists and Turns, One There Was, Who Hunted the Moon, Where Our Space and Time Intersect, For a Reunion Without Tears Locations
27	Sensational Sentence	Fountain of Belleau	Lies Cast Shadows Under Gathered Lights, When All Return to the Waters, Ever-Surging Memories, Yesterday's Tears, Tomorrow's Light, The Crack of Muskets Breaking the Silence (Quest), The Lone Isle Glimpsed Through Fog (Quest), Hunters' Gathering, Ice-Frosted Endgame, Flamelets, Searing, To Guiztli Ridge!, The Ashen-White Order Burns
23	Lullaby of the New Moon (I): Somnias a Luna	Outside It Is Growing Dark	Reunion Beneath the Moonlight, Rest Beyond Reach Locations
29	Ancient Heirs of Grace	Outside It Is Growing Dark	The Ashen-White Order Burns Locations
69	Sea-Gnawed Hollow	Outside It Is Growing Dark	Reunion Beneath the Moonlight, Fulminations and Undercurrents, One There Was, Who Hunted the Moon, Ripples That Will Never Reach, Tracing the Footsteps of the Past, The First Sliver of Moonlight Locations
70	Secrets Cast in a Deep Cave	Outside It Is Growing Dark	Rest Beyond Reach, Twice Upon a Gaze, Tread the Right Path Locations
79	Fire and Shadow	Outside It Is Growing Dark	The Ashen-White Order Burns, Return From the Mysterious Realm, Moonless Night, Where Our Space and Time Intersect, A Knight's Merit, A Knight's Resolve (experiment site)
80	Ruinous Clamor	Outside It Is Growing Dark	Reunion Beneath the Moonlight, The Ashen-White Order Burns, Special Operation, All Is Foretold, Echoes of Fate, In the Shifting Light of the Moon, Descending Moon, Triumphant Warrior, Toys for the Children (Quest), A Divergence Leading to Oneself
81	The Roiling Streets	Outside It Is Growing Dark	The Ashen-White Order Burns, Special Operation, All Is Foretold, For a Reunion Without Tears, Encirclement of Bullets and Silk (Quest), A Divergence Leading to Oneself Event Gameplay
93	The Great Cannon Thundering	Outside It Is Growing Dark	Fulminations and Undercurrents (Boom and Blast Kuuvahki Cannon cutscene)
94	Luchnos en toi Skotei	Outside It Is Growing Dark	One There Was, Who Hunted the Moon (cutscene), Dance of Death: Serpent and Scorpion (cutscene)
95	An Obsession Unriven	Outside It Is Growing Dark	The Ashen-White Order Burns (cutscene), Dance of Death: Serpent and Scorpion (cutscene)
96	La preuve d'une demoiselle, ou le bal de la numerologie	Outside It Is Growing Dark	The Ashen-White Order Burns (cutscene), Dance of Death: Serpent and Scorpion (cutscene)
97	Light Shines Through Fingers as a Silver Stream	Outside It Is Growing Dark	The Dark Side of Memory (cutscene)

Gallery

Other Languages

Language	Official Name	Literal Meaning
English	Elegy of Dust and Lamplight	—
Chinese (Simplified)	尘与灯的挽歌 Chén yǔ Dēng de Wǎn'gē	Elegy of Dust and Lamplight
Chinese (Traditional)	塵與燈的輓歌 Chén yǔ Dēng de Wǎn'gē	Elegy of Dust and Lamplight
Japanese	塵と灯のエレジー Chiri to Akari no Erejii‍‍^[!]Assumed reading‍
Korean	먼지와 ‍등燈‍불의 ‍애가哀歌‍ Meonjiwa Deungbur-ui Aega
Spanish	Elegía del polvo y las lámparas	Elegy of Dust and Lamps
French	Élégie de la poussière et des lanternes	Elegy of Dust and Lanterns
Russian	Элегия пыли и света фонаря Elegiya pyli i sveta fonarya	Elegy of Dust and Lantern Light
Thai	ลำนำธุลีกับตะเกียง
Vietnamese	Bi Ca Của Cát Bụi Và Ánh Đèn
German	Elegie von Staub und Laternenlicht	Elegy of Dust and Lantern Light
Indonesian	Kidung Duka Abu dan Lentera	Song of Sorrow, Ashes, and Lanterns
Portuguese	Elegia do Pó e da Lâmpada
Turkish	Toz ve Lamba Işığı Ağıdı
Italian	Elegia di polvere e lanterne	Elegy of Dust and Lanterns

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Released in Version "Luna I"

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